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Kaleidescape announces 2 new 1080p Players

8032 Views 127 Replies 23 Participants Last post by Dizzman, Jul 4, 2008

josh

Discussion Starter · Jun 18, 2008

Kaleidescape announces two new 1080p players.

Details & datasheets available here:
http://www.kscapeowners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=282

NOTE: These are NOT the Blu-ray players, though the release is vague about whether or not these players will support imported BR content when that feature is released. For now, consider these as two new players that playback regular DVD content at upscaled 1080p format. The players also feature scaling that is optimized to the particular disc depending on the content type, aspect ratio, source material, etc.

1 - 20 of 128 Posts

chirpie

· #2 · Jun 18, 2008

These new Players have achieved our goal of producing beautiful high definition video from the DVDs that we've all been collecting for years, said Michael Malcolm, Kaleidescape founder, chairman and CEO."

I don't care what you've done to the video to make it look better. Calling it high definition video is incredibly misleading.

J.Mike Ferrara

· #3 · Jun 18, 2008

I wonder if they will ever offer Blu-ray ....

Axatax

· #4 · Jun 18, 2008

Seems like Monster has infiltrated K, too.

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chirpie

· #5 · Jun 18, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by Axatax /forum/post/14108680

Seems like Monster has infiltrated K, too.

Nah, just the marketing mentality.

jgriffin99

· #6 · Jun 18, 2008

I believe they will come out with Blu-ray as they have stated. These players were just the natural progression of the Movie Player 2 which can only output 1080i. Essentially they decided to use Sigma Designs "Gennum" chip instead of the DCDi chip.

I haven't seen the new players yet but look forward to see if I can see the difference. In terms of the marketing...they have to try and justify the introduction of a "new" player that ISN'T Blu-ray. Keep in mind they have probably been working on this player for a long time (they are good at keeping things quiet until it's released) and it will replace the Movie player 2 as the "standard" upscaling DVD player.

JlgLaw

· #7 · Jun 18, 2008

The new players WILL NOT support BR going forward. The capability does not exist in these players. The players were designed to bring 1080p, better processing, and more flexibility in installations (mini-player is 8" x 10").

Nothing has changed regarding BR. The BR player is still in development and planned for release in 2009.

Jim

cmcjo

· #8 · Jun 18, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by JlgLaw /forum/post/14109982

The new players WILL NOT support BR going forward. The capability does not exist in these players. The players were designed to bring 1080p, better processing, and more flexibility in installations (mini-player is 8" x 10").

Nothing has changed regarding BR. The BR player is still in development and planned for release in 2009.

Jim

I was told that the players would support br but we would need different readers to import the content. I'm thinking maybe there will be an update to the player to support BR importing.

Michael Grant

· #9 · Jun 19, 2008

Certainly that has to be it, Jim. Obviously these new players don't read BR discs, but couldn't they support streaming Blu-Ray managed copies from the RAID?

JlgLaw

· #10 · Jun 19, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Grant /forum/post/14112516

Certainly that has to be it, Jim. Obviously these new players don't read BR discs, but couldn't they support streaming Blu-Ray managed copies from the RAID?

Unfortunately, the word I got back from K on this question (and I spoke with more than one person) is that the hardware will not allow BR playback, even after imported to the server (obviously), and that software alone cannot change the lack of BR playback.

Jim

Dizzman

· #11 · Jun 19, 2008

BR playback will involve chips that are not in the players.

What K rightly understands is that MOST of their customer base (while looking forward to the added image quality of BR) is perfectly fine with DVD being well scaled.

YOu have to recognize that most of the PLANET it fine with well scaled DVD. this forum does not represent reality.

DougWinsor

· #12 · Jun 19, 2008

http://www.avrev.com/home-theater-ne...l-blu-ray.html

Quote:
Kaleidescape and Toshiba Claim 1080p Upscaling Players Rival Blu-ray

You have to read this link, I would no longer take "Kaleidescape" seriously.

QQQ

· #13 · Jun 19, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by DougWinsor /forum/post/14113158

http://www.avrev.com/home-theater-ne...l-blu-ray.html

You have to read this link, I would no longer take "Kaleidescape" seriously.

Jeez, some of you guys are like vultures circling just waiting for the smallest meat to drop so you take a dive

. They engaged in some marketing hyperbole. I do not agree with said hyperbole, but "I will not longer take K seriously"? A little too extreme I think. A single hyperbolic marketing release does not undo years of rock solid, outstanding products and service.

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Dizzman

· #14 · Jun 19, 2008

the only thing in the press release was that mike said

Quote:
"These new Players have achieved our goal of producing beautiful high definition video from the DVDs that we've all been collecting for years,"

the press release took it the step farther.

And a PERSON WHO ACTUALLY SAW IT said

Quote:
"The new Kaleidescape Movie Player produces the best quality video I have ever seen from any source device,"

so those are the statements made.

Other hyperbole was the reviewers extrapolation.

At the end of the day with the facts above listed, unless you have seen it, you are in no place to argue the comments.

And beyond that, even if you do a side by side and lo and behold... the BR looks better, it will negate NEITHER of those statements.

And when you add all the stuff k CAN do that NOBODY can even approach, it is still a pretty slick solution.

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chirpie

· #15 · Jun 19, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dizzman /forum/post/14114424

the only thing in the press release was that mike said

the press release took it the step farther.

And a PERSON WHO ACTUALLY SAW IT said

so those are the statements made.

Other hyperbole was the reviewers extrapolation.

At the end of the day with the facts above listed, unless you have seen it, you are in no place to argue the comments.

And beyond that, even if you do a side by side and lo and behold... the BR looks better, it will negate NEITHER of those statements.

And when you add all the stuff k CAN do that NOBODY can even approach, it is still a pretty slick solution.

Com on Dizz. My beef is they're saying it's HD video. Even if it comes close to being as good as HD video, it's a deliberately misleading statement in an attempt to drum up a sale. HD is a set of standards. Standards that this does not meet. Call it "As good as HD video" if you like, but don't label it something that it's not.

I'm not denying it's a slick solution, but there's nothing wrong with keeping the "watchmen" in check.

QQQ

· #16 · Jun 19, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dizzman /forum/post/14114424

At the end of the day with the facts above listed, unless you have seen it, you are in no place to argue the comments.

We almost always agree but not here. While it is of course true that we cannot prove a negative, your argument is akin to the cable believer who argues "the difference this cable made was extraordinary". And then when challenged by the cable skeptic who has conducted countless tests on such previous claims, finding all of them to be false, the cable believer proclaims "how can you have an opinion, have you heard it"? At which point I will quote MrWigggles famous statement that he does not have to walk the entire earth to prove its circumference.

Just as we do not need to re-walk the earth to prove it is round every time someone claims it is flat, we know enough about video to know that unless K has developed a breakthrough of truly revolutionary proportions with mind boggling ramifications, one whose significance would go far beyond mere movie servers, that we are indeed in a position to argue the comments, and logically conclude that they are in almost all certainly, false.

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barhoram

· #17 · Jun 19, 2008

Wouldn't most current or potential K customers already have scaling to 1080p in place??

Michael Grant

· #18 · Jun 19, 2008

Quote:
Unfortunately, the word I got back from K on this question (and I spoke with more than one person) is that the hardware will not allow BR playback, even after imported to the server (obviously), and that software alone cannot change the lack of BR playback.

Jim, thanks for the feedback. Seems a bit disappointing, but oh well.

Dizzman

· #19 · Jun 19, 2008

All their press release says is that the scaling rivals BD.

now i will agree that htis is stretching things a bit. but lets be honest, to MOST people (this forum excluded) that statement is not far off the mark. MOST people when given the chance to do an AB would not see mush of a difference. if you took some time to show lots of clips and explain what they are looking at, then some MIGHT agree that there is a bigger difference than they thought initially. but i will still hold by the fact that well scaled DVD into a great display will produce a stunning pic. will BD produce better, YES. will everybody out there who sees both see a huge difference, NO.

And ok, maybe a i went a little far Q, but all i was trying to get across is that judging what they are saying (and they did not say that it is HD, nor did they say that it is as good or better) without seeing in this case is a little presumptious.

They used a little hyperbole for sure, but at the same time in K fashion, they said nothing until the products were ready to ship.

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chirpie

· #20 · Jun 19, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dizzman /forum/post/14117136

they said nothing until the products were ready to ship.

This much, at least, I am grateful for.

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